Apparatus for treating vegetation



May 15, 1928.

w. w. WHEELER APPARATUS FOR TREATING VEGETATION Filed Nv. 24, 1922 W. W.WHEELER- APPARATUS FOR TREATING VEGETATION May 15, 1928.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 24. 1922 IIL Mlllil .4 TTORNEYS Patented Mayl5, 1928.

f UNITI-:n STATES WILLIAM WILLIS WHEELER, oF'JACKsoNvILLn, FLORIDA.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING VEGETATION.

Application filed November 24, 1922. Serial No. 603,034.

This invention relates to an apparatus 'for treating vegetation and 1sespecially, though not necessarily, adapted tor spraying or fumigatingplants or crops for the purpose of destroying insectsor verminv andarrest` ing the progress and development of disease or injurious fungus.

The object of the invention is to provide ay method of and apparatusot'this character which may be economically and advantageously usedunder varying conditions to etlect the desired objects and which isespe* cially eicient and economical when employed to eii'ectthedestruction of: boll Iveevil.

Another object is to provide an apparatus which is of simple and durableconstruction, eilicient in operation and easy and comparativelyinexpensive to manufacture and oper,- ate. n

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in certain novelfeatures of the construction, combination and arragement ot parts whichWi'll be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed outin the appended claims, reference beinghad to th-e accompanying drawingsforming part of this specilication and in which: j

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the preferred enibodiment of theinvention; Figure 2 is a viewin transverse vertical section on line 2-2of Figure 3;

i Figure 3 is a View in longitudinal verti@ cal section on line SP3 ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a View in horizontal section on line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the detlectors.

Referring to the drawings wherein 'for the sake ol illustration is shownthe preferred form ol' apparatus, the numerals 10 and 11 designaterespectively the front and rear axles of the apparatus on which pairs ofground Wheels designated at 12 and `13 are rotatably mounted. Asubstantially closed receptacle 14 which may he constructn ed ot anysuitable material such as sheet metal or the like is suspended on theaxles by means of hangers 15. The receptacle 14 includes sides 16, a`top 17 having hinged sections 17a, front and rear end Walls 18 and 19and a bot-tom Wall 20. These Walls are imperforate exceptfor a passage22 which is formed in the bottom Wall and which has an entrance 23provided therefor in the front end wall and an exit 24 provided in therear end wall. A partition 25 is provided Within the housing 14 andprovides or deines Within the `housingchambers 27 and 28 arranged inseries. These chambers 27 and 28are substantially enclosed in View ofthe natureo the housing' With which the partition 25 coacts to d-einethem. The par-4 tition 25 Which delines the chambers is made in twosections 25 and 2.5b so as not to interrupt the passage which extendsfrom end to end of the housing and through the chambers4 thereof.

Spraying means is provided for each chamber and is designated generallyat 30, As shown in the drawings the spraying means are entirelyindependent so that t-he character and quality of the spray in eachchamber may be varied as desired. Ars the spraying means employed arepreferably of ident-ical construction, a: common descrip tion will servefor the' spraying means in all of the chambers. The spraying means 30inchicles atanlr or reservoir 31 suitably7 supported and secured tothetop 17 ofthe housing and communicating by a valve controlled out'letpipe 32 with a. curved distributing pipe 33 taking the form of a yokeand ar-` ranged transversely oi' the chamber so `as to ext-end aroundkthe passage 22. The dis-` tributing pipe 33 is provided with a plural#ity ot nozzles 34 which are directed so as to project the spray on, theplants. I

, Adjacent the entrance 23 to the passage 22 a pair of deflectors 35 arearranged and are supported as ati upon the front 1S of the housing 14.`These `deiectors are constructed as shown in Figure` 5,01 the drawingsand, When assemhled yWith the housing they flare outwardly therefrom andconsequently converge toward the entrance 23 of the passage 22. Thedeiiectors serve to direct the plants or vegetation to the passage andtheir function in this respect is supplemented by the action of a seriesof rollers 40 also arranged adjacent the entrance'23 of the passage butWithin the housing 14. As clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings theseries of rollers' 4() includes two vertical rollers 41 and ahorizontalroller 42 arranged above the vertical rollers 41, the rollers 41 and 42being rota.t ably journaled on the bottom 20 and angle brackets 43supported on the sidewalls of the housing. A similar set of rollerssimilarj ly supported and designated at 45 isarranged at the eXit of thepassage 22.

1u use the Wheeled housing is advanced along a row of plants so that theplants will successively pass through chambers 27 and 28. The plants areaccommodated in the passage 22 during the time in which they are withinthe chambers 27 and 28 and the action of the detlectors and rollers 40in-` expands and the top assumes its normal po-l sition so as to be bestpositioned for efficient spraying. .lt 1s to he noted that the chambers2T and 28 being enclosed may be highly charged or laden with thesubstance With which the plants are to be treated and since these plantsare successively treated in the chambers 27 and 28 the most e'tcient andthorough spraying or treating of the plants may be obtained. On leavingthe housing the plants are again subjected to the action of a series ofrollers similar to the series l0 so as to compact the foliage and bendthe top of the plant to insure its leaving the passage 22 withoutinjury.

ln view of the independent spraying means employed with each chamber itis obvious that combination treatments may be employed if desired thatis to say plants may be subjected to one treatmentin the chamber 27 andto a diverse treatment in the vchamber 28 in lieu of successivetreatments of the same kind.

Since the spraying means are entirely independent, the character andquality of the spray may be varied Within reasonably Wide limits. Theprovision of tivo or more sprays will permit of plant treatment withdifferent substances, suc-h, for example, as a growth stimulant and aninsecticide; or the same substance could be used in both sprays wherethe plant growth is extremely thick and bushy, and a copious applicationis desirable. As Ihave stated previously herein, the character andquality of the spray used may be varied and I do not desire to belimited to similar or different specific types of plant .treatmentmediums.

I claim:

l. In an apparatus of the character described, a Wheeled housing havinga plurality of chambers therein, said housing being substantially closedand having a passage extending from end to end thereof and through thechambers, spraying means arranged in each chamber, and rollers carriedby the housing and operating at the entrance to and at the ez-it fromthe passage.

2. In an apparatus of the character dcscribed, front and rear axles,ground wheels rotatably mounted on said axles, a substantially closedhousing having a passage eX- tending from end to end thereof, hangersfor suspending from vthe axle, a partition Within the housing deliningenclosed chambers through which the passage also cxtends, the chambersbeing arranged in series, spraying means for each chamber, deliectorscarried by the housing and located at the entrance to the passage, and aseries of rollers arranged Within the housing and also at the entranceto the passage.

3. ln an apparatus for treating plants, a Wheeled housing having atreatment chamber therein and having a passage extending through thechamber and a series of rollers arranged at the entrance to the passageand including vertical rollers for compacting the foliage and ahorizontal roller for bending the top of the plant during the passage ofthe plant into the chamber.

WILLIAM VILLIS VHEELER.

